plains and midwest. >> and it's count down to the cuts, two days left and washington still without a solution to a crisis that it brought on itself. good morning to you. welcome to early start. we're glad you're with us. >> it is 5:00 a.m. in the east and as we said this morning, it is all about history. something going on right now at the vatican that none of us have ever witnessed. a pope about to speak for the final time before he retires tomorrow. >> it really is remarkable to be watching this all morning. let's go live to christiane amanpour who is anchoring our special coverage live from rome. >> good morning. indeed it is unprecedented. these are unchartered waters. right now you're soon going to have pope benedict xvi making his final official speech to the public before stepping down just over 24 hours from now. at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow, he

becomes the first pope in centuries to resign. and he's leaving behind a vatican really at a cross roads. the catholic church facing difficult challenges and also opportunities as it moves forward. now, as i say, usually when there's a transition and we've covered it so many times, well, not so many times, but the last one i was here, and that was because a pope died. john paul ii died after living his last years infirmed and in visible pain. now we have a transition, we have a living pope. you're not watching a funeral before the next pope is elected. you're not watching the world's heads of state come here to pay their respects to the departed pope. you're seeing a much different kind of transition. john al whlen, what is pope benedict going to do the rest of the day? >> normally the wednesday audience, the pope gives religious instruction rooted in

scripture. but today i would imagine that knowing the momentous nature of what's happening, it's probably going to be uncharacteristically personal for benedict. i will imagine he will talk about what was in his mind and in his heart as he reached this remarkable decision to step as sight and what his hopes for the church are going forward. >> and high school a moment of opportunity and possibility, many saying this needs to be a moment for reform. what kind of reform do you think needs to happen? of course in our minds are the desperate challenges around the priest pedophile scandal that's rocked the catholic church. >> there are 1.2 billion catholics in the world and they're not all of like mind. so there would be competing agenda for reform. but i certainly think when it comes to the child abuse

scandals, the bottom line is everyone would agree that the ways in which benedict has moved the church forward need to continue and the unfinisheded business, cat ability of the bishops, need to be the next piece of the puzzle to fall into place. >> and of course these scandals and stories have cast a shadow at least over the beginning of this week and certainly many catholics have wanted one of these cardinals at least not to come here. and there have been victims of the sex abuse scandals and crimes who have come here it plead for precisely what you're saying, finish the unfinished business, particularly hoping that the next pope will do that. remember, this is a faith of 1.2 billion people around the world. it is the single faith with such a huge following. the single faith leader, the pope, has such a huge following. no other faith leader does and frankly no other political leader except the leaders of china and india rules over such

a mass sf flock. we're going now to ben wedeman in vatican square for bring us some update and color from the people who are watching. >> i was here when pope john paul ii died in 2005 and it was a much different sort of atmosphere. this occasion, people are contemplating the last eight years of benedict xvi and appreciate what he accomplished and what still needs to be accomplish accomplished. there is an international audience here in the square. this is typical for the catholic church. very international body. now, we're joined now by sarah and shalan, students studying in rome. cause here to study architecture

and you have this unique opportunity to see history in the making. >> it's amazing. i don't think anyone of us expected any of this to happen because it's such a limited opportunity. so it's amazing that we get to experience this. >> and what are your thoughts? >> well, we're kind of skipping class to be here, so sorry professors. this definitely took priority. all of our families back home are jealous that we got to be here for this experience and normally this is a time of mourning because this would be when they need to find a new pope if one passed away, but this is definitely an excellent opportunity to see off the current pope. >> and interesting way to put it, seeing off. very well, seeing off raurn mourning the passing of the pope. >> ben, thank you. and we just heard a giant cheer

go up, the pope has started to speak and we will bring you the contents of his comments when they are done. in the meantime obviously all eyes are on who will the next pope be. there is a conclave that will soon be convened. it is full of ritual and secrecy. becky anderson has our report. >> reporter: this is st. peter's square in the vatican city, the spiritual and governing seat of the roman catholic church. and it's here that tens of thousands of pilgrims gather to a wait the election of a new pope. and it's here behind me just in the corner in the vatican sistine chapel that the new pontiff is chosen. the sistine chapel was designed to be the papal chapel, one of the world's most famous balance riss. galleries. and it's here that the conclave

of cardinals is held. 115 cardinals are expected to gather to invoke the holy spirit for assistance before electing a pope by secret ballot. they're cut off from the outside world will choose a leader. during the period of conclave, the cardinals will be staying in accommodation just over there. they will be pussed in. and on the first day of conclave, eligible cardinals may hold a vote. if there is no result, on subsequent days they will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. until someone receives a vote of two-thirds plus one. since the cardinals meet in isolation, the only way the public knows about the proceedings is one of the most famous traditions of the papal

succession ritual, the appearance of smoke from a chimney over there at the conclave room. the ballots are burned after each vote. black smoke from that chimney indicates a failed ballot. white smoke means a new pope has been elected. shortly after the new pope will appear and give his first aptoll lick blessing from the window over there. >> afc and that was beckley y anderson. as far as we know, the earl years when the conclave will start will be on monday. mean time pope benedict is giving his final address and we'll have more shortly after we return to new york for more of the world's headlines and the morning news. amazing to see what's going on over there in rome. >> you can hear the horns in the

background. a lot of celebration happening there. >> we will get back to that as soon as we can. meanwhile, lots more going on this morning. the deadly, deadly blizzard that stranded motorists, canceled flights and cut power, it is on the move and we will tell you where it is headed next. plus strange but true. dennis rodman in north korea. we'll tell you why. hello! how sharp is your business security? can it help protect your people and property, while keeping out threats to your operations? it's not working! yes it is. welcome to tyco integrated security. with world-class monitoring centers and thousands of qualified technicians. we've got a personal passion to help your business run safer, smarter, and sharper. we are tyco integrated security. and we are sharper. your doctor will say get smart about your weight. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly

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buri burial. we'll continue to bring you coverage of this. christiane amanpour is live in rome. but first we'll get you up-to-date on some headlines. a lethal storm is on the move. portions of texas, northwest oklahoma and southern kansas are still feeling the effects of a deadly winter storm that canceled a lot of flights, cut power, it stranded motorists there texas all the way to illinois. and officials say there are three people dead. more than four inches have fallen at o'hare international airport in chicago tuesday night and of course that forced cancellations of more than 300 flights. the national weather service says this storm is still a very active one and a very dangerous one, folks. ted rowlands is live in chicago. and how does the morning commute look there? >> well, it will be another long one. the temperatures are hovering around 30 degrees.

the snow is wet and it is very heavy. so it's a problem for motorists. and it keeps coming. s massive storm system roared into chicago late tuesday creating havoc for commuters and reporter. >> it's been stop and go for some time now because of the constant snow that we have. >> reporter: that's what happens when a snowplow crosses over you on an overpass. roads became treacherous all over the region. hundreds of flights were canceled. and illinois was not alone. snowplows hit the streets of kansas city tuesday to wage war against mother nature, some parts there saw a foot of snow from a massive blizzard. lindsay hughes spent much of his day shoveling. >> heavy, wet and we're just trying to get it all. >> reporter: the hard wet snow has made getting around difficult, whether it's behind the wheel or on foot.

falling branchs have reeked havoc with the power system and look what happened to a building roof in missouri as tv news crews were rolling. elsewhere in kansas, 100 year record in wichita is no more. that area has now seen 21 inches of snow for february, taking down the old mark in just six days. the huge snowstorm began its march into texas panhandle. check out these amazing images shot by a cnn i-reporter outside of amarillo on monday. parts of the panhandle saw 19 inches of snow monday forcing out tow trucks in whiteout conditions. and from the ground to the air, no snow, but plenty of wind was on hand to whip around planes at the san antonio international airport. gusts hit more than 54 miles an hour at the airport. fortunately no injuries were ported. back in kansas city, people say they just want a break from all

the snowfall. >> it's been a long, what, 7, 10 days. so i'm ready to go home. >> reporter: and right now because it is just above freezing, it's almost turned to rain. so it's very heavy and if the temperatures drop in the next few hours, with the commute starting in the next few hours, it could be very bad because the roads are of course so wet. >> alreal right, ted, thank you. we'll head back to rome. the pope is talking about leaving, his farewell speech. let's listen in. >> translator: -- togetherness in christ. these people write to me the way they would have written to a prince or important man they don't know. they write to me as brothers and sisters, as children, son apdaughters with a sense of affection which is overwhelming.

the church is a live body. takes communion of brothers and sisters in the body of jesus christ where we are embraced. to experience the feeling is to touch with your hands his truth and your love which is the reason for the light. i love all of you and praise the light of the church today. in the last month, i have felt that my strength has diminished. and i have requested god with

insistence in my prayer to illuminate me with his light to make me come to the right decision not for my own good, but for the good of the church. i have taken this tact in full awareness of the gravity and seriousness, but also with a profound serenity in my soul loving the church also means to have the courage to make difficult choices. having always before you the church and not your own. allow me now to go back to the 19th of april 2005, the seriousness of the decision then was also in the fact that from

that moment on, i was committed always and forever to the lord. always to take on the ministry. he who takes on the ministry has no privacy, he belongs totally to everyone and to the whole church. and so because no private, i have felt like i do today, that one receives his own life in the moment that he gives it away. i have said pa paul has true brothers and sisters and sons and daughters throughout the world aphe feels safe in the especially brace of your communion. it doesn't belong to him any longer.

pope belongs to all and all belongs to him. and always and forever there is not more privacy. my decision to resign the active exercise of my ministry, i will go back to private life. i will not abandon the cause, but in a new way i will be close to the crucified lord. i continue to offer my service

in prayer and i will continue to be in the area of saint peter and may i always be an example of a life which be it active or passive belongs totally to the work of the lord. i would like to thank every one of you for your respect and understanding in the way you have accepted my decision. i will continue to accompany you in prayer and reflection and continue to be dedicated to the lord. i have chosen to lead every hour, every day goes to him. i would like you to remember me before god. and especially the cardinals,

pray for the cardinals who have such a difficult task to do to choose the new successor of the spostle peter. more the enter session of the mother of god and of the church. accompany all of us in our community and let us devote to her with profound faith. dear friends, god leads his church and sustain it is always especially in difficult moments. let us not lose this vision of faith which is the only true vision of the path of the church and the world. in our heart, in the heart of each of us, have always delightful certainty that the lord is near you, that he does not abandon you, that he's close

to you and that he shelters you with his love. thank you. >> you have been listening to pope benedict xvi as he says his final farewell from vatican city. there we are at st. peter's square live. you heard him say let us not lose the vision of faith. those are his parting words to everyone. a very personal and special message. christiane amanpour was saying will he really address the crowd personally and he has. >> absolutely. he says he will not abandon the cause. he says he takes this step, retirement, with full knowledge of the seriousness of the action, but he says loving the church means having the church to make difficult choices. >> you're watching the cardinals there standing up and giving him a standing ovation. the pontiff also said this office is bigger than he is. and that as we expected, that he will now retire in prayer, keeping the church always foremost on his mind and praying for the health of the church. and again, i sku want just want

reiterate his final words saying let's not lose the vision for the church. there is so many controversy surrounding the church, where it's heading. and the cardinals tasked with this monumental effort of selecting the next pope. so we'll continue to follow all of these developments for you. we'll take a quick break and be right back. ♪ [ male announcer ] when we built the cadillac ats from the ground up to be the world's best sport sedan... ♪ ...people noticed. ♪ the all-new cadillac ats -- 2013 north american car of the year. ♪ for a limited time, take advantage of this exceptional offer on the all-new cadillac ats. there's no subtext... just tacos. yeah, it's our job to make you want it.

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a sophomore at coastal carolina university has been shot to death on campus. the incident happened last night at a residence hall at the school which is not far from myrtle beach, south carolina. police are searching for the gunman who they say left campus in a vehicle. and in just a few hours, chuck hagel will begin his first day the work, he was finally confirmed as the new against secretary, the vote 58-41 with four republicans voting for hagel. he is the first man enlisted -- actually the first man who served in combat as an enlisted man to head up the defense department. more of our kunlg of tcover pope's final address add and also the possibility that the u.s. might help the rebels in sear kyria directly. >> and what dennis rodman is doing in north korea.

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you're look at live pictures, historic pictures from st. peter's square. the faithful, some 50,000 strong on happened to say farewell to pope benedict 16 rp xvi r1xvi ap his final appearance before stepping down. a dark day in santa cruz as two cops killed responding to a report of domestic violence. the city's police force trying to cope with an officer fatality for the first time ever. homes crushed, highways

closed. a killer winter storm on the move right now and there ais a lot more suffering ahead. >> aren't you tired of this story? >> will the storm ever stop. welcome back to "early start". >> really nice to have you with us this morning. 31 past the hour. so right now, the public life of pope benedict xvi is coming to a close. >> more than 50,000 people packing st. peter's square to say farewell to the holy father. cnn's special coverage continues live from rome. christiane amanpour is there. good morning. >> good morning. this has been papal pageantry on view. it is the final time pope benedict will address the public. he had his tour of st. peter's square behind me in the popemobile. lots of people waving and cheering and he's just wrapped up a fairly lengthy address in italian to the faithful in which

he spoke about his decision to leave. he said he realized the enormity of it, the gravity, the novelty of what he had done. he know this is is fairly unprecedented at least for the last 600 centuries. but he said that his conscience is at peace and he is at peace with his decision. he also referred to what has buffeted the church left and right really for the last more than ten years with the sex scandals, with the financial allegations of misconduct. he referred to all of that. he talked about how there had been difficult times, things were not easy, but he said that he always knew that god would not allow the roman catholic church to sink. here's a little of what the pope said. >> translator: in my request to god with insistence in my prayer to illuminate me with his light, to make me come to the right decision not for my own good, but for the good of the church.

i have taken this step in full awareness of the gravity and seriousness and novelty, but also with a profound serenity in my soul. >> and so that was the pope. and afterwards, after he'd finished, a huge cheer went up. he opened his arms to embrace the crowd and it always reminds me he that gesture of those incredible arms of st. peter's, the incredible columns. i want to turn to john allen and jim bittermann. i was stunned by what he said, that he felt his strength ebbing away from him, and that this is not the usual fair that we hear from this pope, this personal, personal attribution.

>> you're 100% right. i covered both john paul 2 rii benedict xvi. john paul would wear his heart on the sleeve. he talked about his mind and his heart all the time. benedict as always been much more reluctant to get that glimpse of what's going on inside. i think it's part of the man's humility, but he wanted to to keep himself out of the story. today however he set that normal reserve aside and he gave us a remarkable look at what was in his mind and his heart as he reached this momentous decision. >> and i can't help but think of all the things that he obliquely referred to, and when he said it was time for a more vigorous both physically and mentally person to carry this church into the future and also to deal with the things that he referred to in his speech. you were talking just this week

to a journalist who has written all about the vatican and who heard the tales right from the butler. >> one of the things that he says in his book is that he felt that the pope was surrounded by people who were trying for thwart him actively or accidentally, trying to thwart the kind of reform efforts he was trying to make especially in the area of finances. one of the things that has festered the church for decades is problems with the vet can bank, problems with the contracts, kick backs sometimes going back to the people that were getting the contracts, fraud. it got to the point that at the beginning of this year, the italian banking system cut off the vatican, basically atm machines in the vatican weren't working and people couldn't use their credit cards because of the fact that there wasn't enough oversight in the vatican

finances. there is no one else that can be involved. they don't obey any of the international banking rules. so in some respects anything goes. and the italian banking system finally said wait a second, you have to do something here to clean up your house. and one of the reforms that did not get effected during benedict's term. >> and the next conclave we don't think we'll know exactly when it will be held until at least monday when the cardinals gather in a full formal session here in rome in the vatican. but obviously not just electing the next pope, but what are some of the opportunities, what are some of the positive legacies of pope benedict xvi? >> i think everybody you talk to certainly among those 115 cardinals who will elect the next pope will tell you this has been a great teaching pope. he's left behind three cyclicals on faith, love, charity, trying to represent the essentials of the christian faith in a way that's accessible to people.

but i think that's a permanent contribution. i think what they're looking for is somebody who can take that intellectual legacy and take to the street perhaps, that is if you like almost a pitch man. >> you've written an interesting cheat sheet on ten ways why this next conclave will be different than the previous one back in 2005. give me your top five. >> well, one obviously, resignation don't have the glob outpouring so it gives the psychological space to take a more critical look of the papacy that just ended. second one, you have a much longer period of time for the cardinals to get ready because whereas you've remember in 2005, we were day to day for john paul's health. as of february 11th, everyone in the world has known when the end of this papacy was going to come, which was giving the cardinals a jump-start, if you

like. here's what i think is especially critical. last time in 2005, there were only two cardinals in that conclave who had ever done it before. one was the american cardinal and joseph ratzinger you may have heard of who became benedict xvi. this time you have 50 conclave veterans in the sistine chapel, and i think therefore will be more inclined to think they ought to have say in what's happening. >> and i believe some 67 who have been elevated to cardinal by benedict xvi. >> that's right. all 115 were appointed by john paul or benedict. >> so as catholics around the world look to the possible direction the church might take, and in america we know there's a big wing of the roman catholics who is looking for a more progressive, more modern catholic church, that addresses the real issues of living in today's 21st century world,

other parts of the word are much more traditional, much more conservative model. how do you see it going forward and to you think there will be an american pope for the first time? >> an american pope is a long shot, but for the first time it's thinkable. in the old idea you couldn't have a super power pope because america is too powerful and if you put that guy in, half the world will think vatican policy is being scripted from a subterranean chamber at cia headquarters. america is no longer the only game in town and i think that creates the space for at least to be plausible and there are probably a couple of americans who will get a look. cardinal timothy dolan from new york, the sort of back slapping baby kissing freak of nature, cardinal sean o'malley from boston, very simple, humble franciscan and seen as a

reformer in the sex abuse scandals. i wouldn't bet your bottom five dollars on it, but it's within the realm of possibility. >> and just a quick moment of color before we toss back to new york. >> this is the kind of very emotional experience today and it's interesting what the pope said. he said that there are hard decisions when you're the leader of the church and loving the church is not always taking the easy path and he also said kind of revealing way, he said that being a pope basically means giving up privacy. >> and he is a very, very publicly globally broadcast farewell and he is still out there. he's still on the stage behind us in the middle of st. peter's square there. and continuing his farewells. remember again eight years ago, we were here. did we know, i can't remember, that pope benedict was the frontrunner, that joseph

ratzinger was the frontrunner? >> that is another clear difference between this time and last time. last time going in, it was obvious there was substantial support for cardinal ratzinger. another cardinal said he had 40 votes in his pocket. i think the wide consensus would be there is no such clear point of reference this time around, which makes the field more wide open. and could potentially make it more complicated for the cardinals to bring this plane in for a landing. >> you talked about an interview after promising not to, now we're told they will be ex-communicated or kicked out if they even go on social media. >> kons conce conclave begins, course, yes, they are under lock down. the question is what happens between now and then. last time they tried to have an informal soft pact among themselves that they wouldn't give interviews.

we'll see how it plays out this time. >> and we'll go to ben we'd plan who wedeman who is in the crowd and listening to the speech and talking to the pilgrims who have flocked to the square. >> people listening from all over the world. they're speaking in a variety of languages. and when those who are -- the speakers of the language listen, they applaud. but really the most moving thing i saw was two sisters, two nuns who have been at the barrier on the side of st. peter's square all morning long, not saying a word, but simply praying and occasionally weeping clearly for the church, for those who are nuns, priests, a much more meaningful occasion than those who have come here more out of curiosity than anything else.

a very moving day here in st. peter's square. >> ben, thank you. and another cheer going up as the pope seems to have finished this portion of his speech and he will be continuing before he goes back inside the vatican. and you mentioned the nuns, the women there. many american nuns and many american women are hoping that a future pope sometime in the future will raise women in the church, nuns and those who participate in the management of the church, to an equal footing. so many women hope that sometime in the future they, too, will have a chance to be priests and otherwise celebrate mass in the same way that the men do. that is possibly far off, but nonetheless we're told by many nuns in america that that is what they really long for. going back and zoraida in new york. >> i love how she's saying this is an opportunity for the roman

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. this is a special he had decision of "early start". the pope's final farewell to his block of billions strong. thousands have gathered to witness this in person. the pope telling them he is aware of the gravity and novelty of his resignation. after he resigns he'll get a new

title, pope emeritus, he'll lose the ring ands also the red shoes. >> his speech was so interesting, so heartfelt in many ways. he said loves the church means having the courage to make the difficult decisions. and of course he mean this is unprecedented resignation. he said he prayed for enlightenment and this was the answer he got. >> and it started about 4:45, pope appearing in the popemobile for a while there. about 15 minutes he traveled through the audience waving at everybody. and if you see all the banners and signs, they're nuin all the different lacks. so people from around the world have gathered in order to witness this historic moment. we've never seen anything like this before. look at those crowds. >> vatican said they handed out about 50,000 tickets. it can hold a lot more than that. there may be a great many more standing up there. we've heard horns honking and bells ringing, people celebrating. >> and we heard from christiane

amanpour and ben wedeman that there are some nuns praying on the side, as well. so a lot of tears, as well, as people pray for the future of the roman catholic church. we'll continue to follow all of the developments for you. happening right now, a deadly blizzard is on the move. snow is headed for michigan and western new york, but many residents are still coping with its aftermath. wichita broke a 100 year record for february snowfall. and they broke it in just six days. >> people will be saying good rid answer february. and the u.s. is moving toward getting syrian rebels direct aid, including sending nonlethal military equipment and possibly providing strategic military training, as well. sources stress the united states is not considering providing weapons to the rebels. senior obama administration official says secretary of state john kerry is discussing the changes with sewer pea an allies this week. >> so talk about culture shock.

that's dennis rodman.an allies this week. >> so talk about culture shock. that's dennis rodman. he's in north korea with three members of the harlem globe trotters to put on a show for fans while they film a tv documentary. rodman also known as the worm is tweeting from within north korea saying maybe i'll run into the gangnam style dude while i'm here. of crse his geography dude is slightly off. he's from south core re, a dennis rodman. just so you know, you're in north korea. >> oh, my goodness. all right. also ahead on on "early start," successfully tracing the exact origin of the destructive meteor that injured 1,000 people in russia. where the big rock came from is coming up next. hey! did you know that honey nut cheerios

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it is 53 after the hour. and in case you missed it, otve the last hour, history has been

made. pope benedict in his final hours as the holy father. he emerged to loud cheers, waving to the flock, kissing babies. this is some of what he said. >> translator: in the last month i have felt that my strength has diminished. and i have requested god with insistence in my prayer to illuminate me with his light to make me come to the right decision not for my own good, but for the good of the church. i have done -- i have taken this step in full awareness of the gravity and seriousness and novelty, but also with a profound serenity in my soul loving the church also means to have the courage to make difficult choices having always

before you -- having always before you the church and not your own. >> loving the church means having the courage to make difficult decisions. at 8:00 p.m. vatican time tomorrow, pope benedict will officially become pope emeritus. >> incredible. 55 past the hour. deadly shark attack off the coast of new zealand. police officers firing shots at a great white as it chewed on the body of a 40-year-old male, a surfer that it attacked and killed. the shark believed to be 12 to 14 feet long rolled over and vanished after the officers opened fire. astronomers believe they know why the mer mere meteor ca

from. this is like csi outer space. they believe it came from an asteroid belt between mars and jupiter. we're continuing to watch the pope's final address and plus the king of beers being served up with a lawsuit. some claiming they are not getting the buzz they paid for. from pope to beer. can you believe it? citrucel is different- it's the only fiber for regularity that won't cause excess gas. it's gentle and clinically proven to help restore and maintain regularity. look for citrucel today. gives you 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 50% annual bonus. and everyone but her likes 50% more cash, but i have an idea. do you want a princess dress? yes. cupcakes? yes. do you want an etch-a-sketch? yes! do you want 50% more cash? no. you got talent. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card

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a faithful farewell. live pictures as pope benedict xvi speaking for the final time before he steps down and

disappears into sole tud and prayer. he just thanked the crowd for coming to see him off. he's just leaving right now. there are tens of thousands live at the vatican. christiane amanpour is standing by live. this has to be a very emotional time for the pope. >> think it must be. you know this is a pope not known for wearing as my colleague says, his heart on his sleeve. how can you feel to be moved by this enormous cheer that has gone up in st. peter's square. he's delivered his final blessing and the crowd is saying good bye. he will start to exit st. peter's square in the popemobile. but you will understand he will go under the arch of the bells and he will be met by the swiss guard, which protects the pope and protects the vatican. john allen, what would you make of his farewell speech? he talked about how difficult it was to leave, he talked about the gravity and the enormity and

he also talked about what has buffeted the church on the high and tempestuous seas over the decade. >> as someone who covers the pope all the time, i was struck by this was one of the rare occasions where he lifted the curtain and gave you a sense of what goes on inside. we have imagined since february 11th the process to arrive at this decision must be agonizing. this is a man so cognizant and devoted to catholic tradition. he knows how novel the decision is. >> reporter: he's in the popemobile now, exiting st. peter's square, going out of public view now, until he leaves tomorrow. what about specifically what he was talking about? it hasn't been easy. far from easy these last many years? >> i think anybody looking at this story of this pontificate

would have to say he's right. although a magnificent teaching pope. left a legacy of writing and speeches behind, he's a pontificate that is serially buffeted by meltdowns and scandals. some from the outside and some of the, in some ways if not by the pope himself, by his own vatican team, self-inflicted. when he says there are moments of light and joy, but when there are tough times, i think we all know what he is talking about. >> we'll go to ben wedeman in the crowd now, ben what has it been like the final moments? >>. >> reporter: certainly we've seen people live very closely. it seems like everyone has their cell phones and recording it for themselves. this truly historic moment.

very much eyes focused on what's going on, just in front of the basilica of st. peter. we were told as many as 200,000 people would show up in st. peter's square today. seems the number somewhat less. but very crowded and people paying very close attention to what is going on in this square. christianne. >> ben, thanks a lot. and all eye are going to be on the last 24 hours or just over of this papacy. we know thursday, tomorrow, 8:00 p.m. rome time, benedict xvi will no longer be the pope. his paper acy ends and all eyes on the next pope and the procedure to elect him. give us a sense of how it's going to -- how it will be from 8:01 tomorrow? >> we asked the vatican spokesperson if benedict had any plans after 8:00, his charming

response, i suppose he will have dinner. >> reporter: so opaque. >> reporter: precisely. >> reporter: at the top of the next morning, the dean of the college of cardinals will formally notify all the cardinals of the world the seat is vacant. this is a mere formality. the cardinals are here. >> reporter: they get a fax at home? >> reporter: they will be sent a letter home for their ar kifs, but they will also get a fax or e-mail here. and the cardinals will meet for the first time in a general congregation meeting where the first order of business is to set a date for the conclave. right now, the precedent is to do it reasonably early. perhaps the 7th of march. >> reporter: definitely before holy week begins? >> reporter: they want this whole thing wrapped up before holy week begins. because that is the peek

ceremonial and spiritual period on catholic calendar and would like to have a new pope in place to lead the church through. >> reporter: through to easter. will it be easier or more difficult to elect the next pope? with the hindsight and benefit of resignation rather than a sudden death, they had a lot of time to think about this, since the pope first said he would resign at the beginning of the month? >> reporter: christianne, you remember in 2005, the sensation, was that john paul's papacy had been a wild success. it was hard not to true the conclusion that made the job easier last time. the job number was cannontinuit. this time the calculus is more complicated and could mean the job of trying to connect the dots of who is the right man to lead the church forward that

could be a bill more difficult. >> reporter: now, you don't think that it is a revolutionary new direction. you doan think by and large they will cue to the rather conservative line that john paul xvi and pope benedict xvi have already made? what about the real reform that catholics are calling for to finish the job of finally paying the account -- i don't mean that in terms of dollars and cents, but legally, morley, ethically, full accountability for this raging priest peadophilia scandal? >> reporter: i think that child sex abuse scandal is in the mix. virtually every cardinal speaking privately or on background will tell you, that it is extraordinarily important to elect a pope who is perceived to have clean hands on the crisis, who is profiled as part

of the solution rather than part of the problem. more long range, there is a consensus that benedict move the church forward in significant ways, but left behind some unfinished business, perhaps the matter of accountability, not just for priests who abuse, but bishop who's dropped the ball and covered it up and there is a desire to elect a pope who is in a way tough enough to get that job done. >> reporter: you think that's why benedict left? he knew he didn't have the strength to be as you say tough enough to clean house? >> i think fundamentally he left for the reasons you said. he's old and he's tired. but i think he also recognizes there are some serious business management matters that have to be dealt with. and pope benedict xvi is not a business manager. >> indeed. thank you very much. and let's not forget the pope is not a leader of faith. the fingle faith leader, 1.2 billion catholics around the

world. almost like a head of state. because what he does, have he goes, what he says matters not just for catholics but reverberates amongst people of other faiths around the world there is a good reason we're paying so much attention to this transition and why so many people, catholics and noncatholics will watch to see who is elected the next pope. john and zoraida, back to you. >> history being made in st. peter's square in rome. a lot of news going on here in this morning. the deadly blizzard stranded motorists, canceled flights and cut power it's not done yet. where it's headed next. governor chris christi takes a gamble on internet gambling. jackie, tell me why somebody should bring they're car here to the ford dealership for service instead of any one of those other places out there. they are going to take care of my car because this is where it came from. price is right no problem, they make you feel like you're a family. get a synthetic blend oil change,

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the big story this morning, of course, pope benedict xvi giving his final public farewell to catholics around the world today, a very dramatic and historic speech from st. peter's square. >> we just witnessed him leaving moments ago. a final public appearance as of 8:00 p.m. tomorrow evening. he will be known as pope emeritus. the first time we have ever spoken those words. pope emeritus. >> other big stories going on in the united states. a fierce winter storm on the move. portions of the plains being hit. feeling the effects. canceled flights, cut power, stranded motorists from texas all the way to illinois. officials say three people are dead. more than 4 inches have fallen

at o'hare international airport tuesday night, forcing the cancelation of more than 300 flights. the national weather service says this storm is very active and very dangerous. ted rowlands live in chicago. it's never easy to commute in chicago. how much worse is it this morning? >> what? >> reporter: the morning commute is terrible in chicago. zoraida, you know. you lived here. right now, the snow has diminished. almost turning to rain. hovering around 34 degrees right now. if temperatures drop, it could cause problems. the good news, it seems to have drop a little in intensity. flights, when you combine midway and o'hare, 700 flights. in excess of 700 flights canceled yesterday. today, a huge headache trying to get airports up and running, moving, getting stranded passengers out of chicago. and as you know, if o'hare is down, that creates problems

nationwide because planes get stranded, passengers get stranded and puts a lot of pressure on the airline industry. hopefully the heavy snow has moed out of this area and away from chicago and specifically o'hare so we can get everything rolling. >> a lot of the parts of the midwest, kansas city, the section big storm in less than a week. february 27th here. how much storm fatigue are we dealing with? >> reporter: well, i think every february 27th there is winter fatigue in the midwest, and then you add two heavy storms, it could be debilitating, quite frankly. people are getting through it. it's great packing snow, so last night my kids and my wife, out in the front yard, made a huge snowman. but i think it's safe to say enough is enough. >> we're pulling on for you. >> send us pictures, we'll love to see that. >> reporter: yeah, we have a

couple. all right. >> right now, a gigantic storm front moves northwest, upstate new york and central and northern new england can expect heavy snowfall. brace for that. jennifer delgado in the cnn weather center. who is in store for the next wallop? >> we're talking about more snow out there. for chicago, picked up 4.8 inches. kansas city, nearly 10. so you are right, a lot of people tired of the snow. the reality, still coming down. see from chicago, we're also dealing with milwaukee. even in kansas city, st. louis, light snow out there. overall, talking about 1 to possibly maybe 2 or 3 more inches being squeezed out. over to the east, talking about rain from new york. interstate 95 for areas like manchester, interstate 93. snow working in to parts of vermont and new hampshire. but overall, the midwest is going to be quieting down, that's why we have light to moderate snowfall.

however, ski resorts will be doing big business coming up. talking about potentially 8 to 12 inches of snowfall in the higher elevations today through tomorrow, especially for new england. and a wider view toward the west. fairly quiet. ridge of high pressure in place. sunny, a cooldown for the weekend. sfwlor aida, john, nice to have a slight break in the bad weather, but still a lot of snow out there. >> can we say when february is over, it's all over? the snow is all over? >> we're still a ways away from spring. >> you can say it, it may not be true. >> i can say it for you. how about 50/50 chance? new overnight in california, two officers in the santa cruz police department killed in the line of duty while responding to a report of possible domestic violence. the darkest day in the history of the santa cruz police department. which until now had never lost an officer patrolling the city. >> we at the santa cruz police

department are like family. i've known both of these officers a long, long time. there aren't words to describe how i feel personally about this, and how my department is reacting. >> reporter: police officials say the gunman was killed later in a shoot-out with police. only two days to go until the forced budget spending cuts kick in. now there, are no meetings scheduled between the white house and congressional leaders to find a solution. keeping the pressure on republicans, president obama visited a defense ship building facility to highlight the negative impact of the impending cuts. >> there are too many republicans and congressmen that refuse to compromise even an inch. >> congressional republicans dismissed the president's business as a prop to support

his tax hike proposals. >> boehner even used some swear words. day one for chuck hagel in his new job as secretary of defense. haggle is expected to address service members and pentagon employees before getting down to business today. the lines are drawn, and major corporations taking a stand on same-sex marriage. a closer look, coming up. why not make lunch more than just lunch? with two times the points on dining in restaurants, you may find yourself asking why not, a lot. chase sapphire preferred. there's more to enjoy.

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minding your business, stocks pointing to a flat open. not a big surprise, because wall street is so nervous about forced spending cuts day as way. and an exclusive report fro "fortune." >> 60 companies, and according to "fortune," they expect by the end of the day, it will be a lot more than just 60 companies. dozens of american corporations are expected to file this brief, so interesting, including apple, alcoa, facebook, ebay, morgan stanley, an amicus brief broadly arguing that the laws banning same-sex marriage like prop 8 are unconstitutional under due process equal protection laws and they go on to say it's more than just fairness, it's also business imperative for american companies that you don't have different standard for gay couples across state lines.

recognizing the rights of same-sex couples to marry is more than a constitutional issue, it say business imperative. it goes on to say, if you are trying to retain top talent and they don't want to move to say, california, or to a state that doesn't have the same rights as massachusetts, new york, or iowa, for example, that -- that kind of breaks down the free market of finding talent in -- a really interesting and i would say business-oriented but progressive mood for many of the companies. it comes in the same week we saw an interesting report from another group that found that some richries much same-sex couples are being denied social security benefits and big county attorneys among no one-time payment for burial and the second parent adopted children are denied monthly benefit if parent dies. that can come down to thousands

of dollars a year from benefits. one family may get but another one doesn't. is that legal, fair? are there two classes of american families. companies are being so aggressive. it's the anti chick fillet. the other movement among big american companies. 60 signs up so far. but expect to see a lot more of them by tomorrow. >> interesting before the supreme court. what is the one thing we need to know about your money? >> the fed chief, ben bernanke, reiterating his support of stimulus on capitol hill. that is the takeaway from the fed chief this week. gold prices soared 2%. the biggest gachb the year yesterday. apparently that market believes the fed will stay in the business of propping up the american economy. the one thing you need to know. the fed still in the game. 24 minutes past the hour. something you don't see every day. >> dennis rodman in north korea.

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step down is for the good of the church. >> support and prayers of so many of you. the decision i have made after much prayer is in trust of god's will for god's church. >> christiane amanpour will join us live from rome in a moment. a deadly charge attack off the shores of new yeslazealand. a surfer killed barely 200 yards from the shore. and the deadly storm on the move, a lot more misery ahead for people in its path. welcome back to "early start." great to see up. >> kind of tired of the storm. 29 minutes past the hour, one last public audience before the sun sets on his paper acy.

pope benedict xvi addressing pilgrims who flocked to the square for his final public audience. he is aware of the gravity and novelty of his resignation. >> he says the church has been through stormy waters, but god will not let it sink. a very historic morning in rome. christiane amanpour is there live covering it. >> reporter: good morning, john and zoraida. it's all about yellow and white. i'm wearing my papal colors today. this is an historic moment. quite unprecedented. not for more than 600 years has a pope resigned. we've seen crowds flock out of st. peter's square. that early morning audience has been over the last half hour. also, the pope ahad been around st. peter's square for the final general audience in the popemobile. huge cheers from the crowd

there, and then a huge cheer after the final blessing and as he pro cessed out, back into the vatican. he did speak about the very tough decision to step down. talked about his own strength. that this was novel, but it was a grave, serious decision, but he was at peace with it. listen to how he addressed the crowds. >> translator: in the last months, i have failed. my strength has diminished, and i have requested god with insistence in my prayer to illuminate me with his light to make me come to the right decision, not for my own good, but for the good of the church. i have done -- i have taken this step in full awareness of the gravity and seriousness and

novelty, but also with the profound serenity in my soul, loving the church means to have the courage to make difficult choices. having always before you -- having always before you the good of the church and not of our own. >> reporter: the pope talked about being serene, a profound serenity. in many cases there are many cases of serenity in the van cat, and the pope referred, if only obliquely, to the incredible scandals rocking the vatican and the catholic church from the united states to europe and elsewhere. over the last 14 years or so. joined by john allen, by very special and long insight into the paper acy, to the issues that surround it, and the

transition, first, john, he is not known for being a very emotional pope, but today i felt that he was. >> you are absolutely right, christiane. i covered him not just the eight years of the paper aacy, but al the 20 previous years when he was pope john paul's right-hand man. he likes to take himself out of the joe. john paul liked to celebrate in st. peter's square. benedict xvi has gone back inside the basilica, because he wants the focus to be on the service, not the star. today, in a way, for his finale, the swan song, it was an uncharacteristically, sort of self-revelatory moment when he talked about the internal struggle that led him to the decision to resign and how much

his hopes for the church are with not only the entire people of the church, but the man who will follow him. >> reporter: that is key for so many parts of the church, to shape the reality of the catholic church around the world. can a pope in the 21st century be sort of a reclus like benedict was? not a reclus, but not john paul ii rock star? can he retreat in the vatican or have that extra mile of transparency and accountability as well to convince catholics that this is going to be a clean house? >> i think john paul revolutionized the papacy for all times.

they knew their local bishop and knew there was a pope in rome, but they didn't expect to get messages on twitter or seeing him on tv, waiting for the next time the pope will come to town. benedict xvi said himself this morning, he understand that when you become pope, you lose your privacy. you become the property of the world. in terms of the transparency and accountability thing, i think everyone will recognize the catholic church is in a way a pretty modern institution struggling to come to terms with the post modern world and getting up to snuff so to speak in terms of transparency and accountability as part of the task. >> indeed it is, john. thank you for that. and we'll be checking in regularly throughout the day. although normal public visions of the pope right now, he will be going back inside. there are more meetings and all of this building up to his final good-bye which will be at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow when he leaves the vatican and then at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow roman time that

signifies the end of his pap acy. back to you. hundreds of flights canceled. motorists stranded, power lines down and three people dead. this blizzard on the move after making a mess from texas to illinois. several roofs collapsed like this one in kansas city, due to the accumulation of several inches of read wet snow. jennifer delgado live at the cnn center -- weather center in atlanta. is this storm weakening at all, jennifer? >> it is. i heard you a moment ago saying you were tired of hearing about the storm, we will start talking about it very quickly. we are still dealing for snow with airs, chicago, green bay, kansas city. the snow is very light out there. talking maybe 1 to 3 inches, lake-effect off lake michigan. how about a look at kansas city? we showed you a look out of chicago earlier. a live view.

this is interstate 70 at 18th street. while there is light snow coming down, cars moving nice and smooth. over toward the east, a different story. talking about locations. we could see snow, developing, especially through parts of new england. coming down right now, and rain on interstate 95. boston, looking at rain. snow north of that. but overawl, winding down. to 12 inches of snowfall for new hampshire and vermont. and a wintry mix this will stick around through tomorrow and wider view. quiet, but temperatures generalry right about seasonal for this time of the year. >> jennifer, thank you. 37 minutes after the hour. we are learning about a deadly ambush by militants in afghanistan. 17 people dead, including 10 afghan police officers. killed while they slept. we'll bring you more details as

they become available. and scary moments for the university of maine's women's basketball team. while traveling to a game in boston last night, their bus went off interstate 95 near georgetown, massachusetts, north of boston. came to a stop on the shoulder of the roadway. take a look at the picture. bus driver air lifted to a hospital. he may have suffered some kind of a medical incident. the team as coach and three players were treated for injuries as well. the u.s. is moving toward giving syrian rebels direct aid, including sending nonlethal military equipment and providing strategic military training, for now, the u.s. is not considering providing weapons to the rebels, the injury obama administration says secretary of state john kerry is discussing changes with the european allies this week. the top cnn trends, how is this for standing out in a crowd. take a look.

6'7" tatted up hall of famer dennis rodman, in north korea with the harlem globetrotters. he says maybe i'll run into the gangnam style dude while i'm here. >> close. he's in south korea. buzz kill. drinkers in three states are suing anheuser-busch for watering down beers. it accuses the company of overstating the alcohol content in beer to boost profits. a couple of the plaintiffs have some pretty impressive statis c statistics. two brothers in pennsylvania say they buy six cases of anheuser-busch a month. now, anheuser-busch says these are groundless, that beers are in full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws.

>> they tested this out. didn't get the buzz they used to get? i don't get it. coming up, skushi idisturbi about a rise in breast cancer in young women. and a high school student using a phone camera catches a thief stealing from other students. wait until you see who the culprit is. ♪ oh, heavenly day here we go. ♪ cha-cha-cha ♪ don't you know that i love ya ♪ ♪ cha-cha-cha-cha-cha ♪ always thinking of ya ♪ all around the world ♪ everybody singin' along ♪ singin' along ♪ fly me to the moon ♪ let me play among the stars ♪ let me see what spring -- ♪ [ birds chirping ] [ male announcer ] with the best lineup of vehicles ever,

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you caught me, asking soledad who is still across the way what is coming up on "starting point?" . >> shortly we will hear from soledad. until that moment comes, we'll tell you about big news happening all morning. pope benedict saying good-bye, appearing before his final audience in st. peter's square at the vatican. speaking out to 50,000 pilgrims, at least. they gave out 50,000 tickets. but there are more. he said loving the church means making tough choices and by that means stepping down. >> public life was complicated for him and he's looking forward to going into solitude to a life of prayer he will continue. there is a lot of controversy surrounding the catholic church.

the conclave is about to get together to decide who the new pope will be. and as you saw, we're taking a look at the pictures of the crowds. all of the different banners and languages, there to do something that really is historic. to say good-bye to a pontiff. >> soledad will tell us what else is happening. >> we'll talk about the pope and his final public good-bye. and we'll chat with the former cia officer heading off to prison. 30 months ago of him, we'll talk to him about what he thinks is behind his sentence and does he feel like he's beenscape goated? and it's been a year since george zimmerman shot and killed trayvon martin. where is does the case stand right now? we heard from trayvon's mom and dad. today we'll speak with george zimmerman's defense attorney.

in cases of advanced breast cancer in younger women are on the rise. that is the alarming headline, just splipublished in "the jour of the american medical association." senior medical correspondent elizabeth cohen joins us with the latest. what does the study find? >> these findings came as a real surprise to a lot of people it compared the november cases of metastatic breast cancer, in young women in their 20s and 30s to what it was years ago this spells it out. in 1976, there were approximately 250 cases of metas metastatic breast cancer. today it's more like 850. that is a big difference. this is especially alarming because when young women get

breast cancer, it's often a more aggressive type of cancer. it has doctors thinking is the study correct? what's going on? if it is correct, something needs to be done. >> under 40 normally doesn't get a mammogram what is driving the increase? >> some of it may be that we're better at diagnosing breast cancer. we have digital mama grams. they don't know. they that i maybe women are delaying childbirth and that can be linked to increased rates of breast cancer. more women taking oral contraceptives and that might be linked to race of breast cancer. truly they don't know. this is the first really big sign of this. so they haven't developed really well-formed theories yet. >> do you think doctors will recommend that women under 40 get regular mammograms as well? >> i don't think so. it's still unusual for women under 40 to get breast cancer.

they don't want all women to start getting mammograms because of a relatively small number of cases and i put the emphasis on relatively small number of cases. mammograms have down sides. you would be giving women radiation every single year and one of the issues of mammograms, you get false positives. you scare women and you get more testing. which has problems of its own. before we tell young women to get mammograms, a lot more thought and work put into this. >> we appreciate this information. any woman under 40 with history nonetheless should go see her doctor. >> if you have a personal history or family history, different ball game. >> elizabeth cohen, senior medical correspondent, thank you very muff. 47 minutes after the hour. a fatal great white shark attack off the coast of new zeeland. police in boats firing shots at

the shark. it happened 220 yards offshore. the shark, believed to be up to 14 feet long, rolled over and vanished after police opened fire. school warning people to stay indoors this morning after a sophomore at coastal carolina university, in southern california, was shot to death right on campus. that incident happened last night at a residence hall at the school. which is not far from myrtle beach, south carolina. police are searching for the gunman who they say left campus in a vehicle. jack lew, the president's choice of treasury secretary can be confirmed as early as today. the lew nomination expected to be taken by the president as it sailed through the senate yesterday. a california high school teacher allegedly stealing from her students. after kids in betty's gym class reported money missing from their backpacks, the sophomore hid in a gym locker and caught

the allege ed theft on a cell phone camera. >> i didn't want to believe that she would do something like that, because she was so nice, but then she did it. we feel like we did the right thing, but it's still, like, you know, hard. >> tough pill to swallow. the teacher, a 30-year veteran, placed on administrative leave while the school district and police investigate. >> that is -- >> outrageous. >> crazy. 49 minutes after the hour. sports news. it got ugly last night. a brawl on the basketball court. oh, man. the punches flying. that is not supposed to happen. we'll tell you why and the outcome, coming up next. check out my new treadmill app.

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here is this morning's bleacher report. >> pacers, brawl, i think ron artest, the palace. things not that bad last night. but a pretty good scuffle. it started with roy hibbert and david lee. they get into it your honor tun. gets heated up. watch out for stephan curry. gets man handled by hibbert. he tosses curry aside. not once but twice, that's because curry say food shorter and about 59 pounds lighter. six technical handed out. indiana's roy hibbert ejected from the game and probably should expect a suspension. pacer does go on to win the game.

number one indiana taken down by unranked minnesota last night. hoosiers man handled in the paint. the loss pretty much guarantees indiana will lose their number one ranking. gonzaga of all teams can be the new number one team. daytona 500 winner jimmie johnson making the rounds and during his moment, you know who came out? >> if you were racing this, would you have something. >> i would have a hard time turning that one. >> what was it like racing with danica patrick? >> she was there. i didn't notice. >> oh. and during his 40-yard dash. his foot gets caught in the turf, does a face plant.

our editor does a good job replaying that. his day not ba. he did run the 40-yard dash and pupt the fastest 40 time of all safeties. ouch. there goes his pride. for all entertaining sports news, including minnesota's huge upsetory indiana. go to bleacherreport.com. >> your editor is a guy? that's a guy moment. that you do that and repeat over and over. >> that's what we have to do, to make a point. embarrass him more and more. >> joe carter, thank you very much. >> "early start" back after this quick break. with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card. earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. [ both ] 2% back on groceries. [ all ] 3% on gas. no hoops to jump through. i earn more cash back on the things i buy the most. [ woman ] it's as easy as... one! -two. -[ all ] three! [ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards credit card. apply online or at a bank of america near you.

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